One of the last things you’d want is getting arrested in Las Vegas when you’ve just arrived. You might be on the wanted list in the city, or even in the entire state of Nevada, and you were not notified. It may be a new charge that is still in the process of being sent to you, or a standing warrant that you may have forgotten because you have been out-of-state for a while.
In the old days, determining whether or not you have a standing warrant was a long and strenuous process. These days, modern innovations have streamlined the process. Let’s look at how you can check for a standing warrant in Las Vegas.
What Warrants Are There?
Nevada, and Las Vegas in particular, have two types of warrants for defendants. These warrants are:
Arrest warrant – the standard warrant which authorizes law enforcement officers to arrest individuals suspected of committing certain crimes.
Bench warrant – this warrant requires law enforcement officers to arrest an individual and bring them in front of the issuing judge for alleged violation of court rules or contempt of court.
Note that police officers would actively search for individuals listed in an arrest warrant if they are charged with a felony. Officers don’t always actively pursue misdemeanor suspects, however.
Inquiring About Warrants
Modern technologies make it easier for a person to inquire about standing warrants in Nevada. There is no need for anyone (or their representative) to visit the local court and file a request. You can simply just call the concerned court or access the data online.
Calling the court is the relatively older method of inquiring about standing warrants. If you feel like there is still a warrant out for your arrest in a certain locale, you can simply have someone call the court with jurisdiction to that locale. They can sometimes provide additional information like how long the warrant has been active.
These days, most people prefer checking their warrant status online. The Las Vegas municipal court’s warrant records are available through the Marshal warrant search online portal. The Las Vegas Township website also has a court records link where people can check any standing warrants.
Dealing with Warrants
Active warrants allow officers to arrest you on the spot, leading to a messy confrontation in the worst cases. This can also happen even if you’re just facing a misdemeanor charge; police officers don’t actively search for you, but they can easily arrest you if you are in sight.
In the case of arrest warrants, your defense lawyer can arrange a surrender-and-walk-through arrangement with the court. The defendant can simply proceed to the presiding court, get himself or herself booked, and secure bail for temporary release. The particulars of the case can be discussed later.
For bench warrants, your lawyer can file a request to quash with the court concerned. The court can later hold a hearing where your lawyer can explain why the bench warrant should be lifted. Once the warrant is lifted, the defendant can focus on his pending case and avoid having to also deal with being held in contempt of court.
Always keep up to date with any potential warrants out for you in Las Vegas. It also helps to ask a Las Vegas defense lawyer about warrants and how to deal with them.